Grain-scouring device.



S. S. HESS.

GRAIN SOOURING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. s, 1911v 1,089,052, Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

I I 22 21 i 7 a ATT 1: RN E11 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,\VASHINGTON, n. c

SAMUEL S. HESS, OF JEWETT, OHIO.

GRAIN-SCOURING DEVICE.

noeaoae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed December 6, 1911. Serial No. 664,272.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. Hess, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Jewett, county of Harrison, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Scouring Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to grain scouring devices, and specifically to a device for scouring and screening wheat and other grains prior to the grinding or milling operation.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable machine whereby grain may be effectually cleaned, or scoured, prior to the process of milling, removing particles of dust and other foreign matter therefrom.

With this and other objects in view, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of elements and combinations of parts which will hereinafter be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a casing which may be of any appropriate form or design, that herein depicted being substantially rectangular in cross-section. Mounted in any appropriate manner upon the top of said casing and extending in a direction longitudinally thereof are two superposed cylinders 2 and 3. A hopper 4 for receiving grain communicates through an opening 5 with one end of the uppermost cylinder 2, allowing grain contained in said hopper to gravitate to said cylinder. A shaft 6 is disposed centrally within said cylinder, having its opposite ends journaled in suitable bearings provided therefor at the opposite ends of the cylinder. Said shaft carries thereon a spiral blade 7 which, when said shaft is rotated in a forward direction, acts as a propeller for forcing the grain forward from the receiving end of said cylinder 2 to the opposite end, whence the grain gravitates through a suitable opening 8 into the cylinder 3. A shaft 9 is disposed centrally within the cylinder 8, having its ends journaled in suitable bearings provided therefor at the opposite ends of said cylinder. Said shaft 9 has mounted thereon a plurality of separated short spiral blades 10 which are adapted to propel the grain from the entrance end of said cylinder 3 to the opposite end thereof. Interposed between the adjacent blades 10 and fixed to said shaft is a plurality of radial projecting arms or teeth 11 which are adapted, as said shaft is rotated, to stir up, rub and scour the grain as the latter is slowly propelled forward within their range by the blades 10 located in the rear thereof.

Provided in the end of the cylinder 3 epposite to that at which the grain gains access thereto is an opening or port 12 through which the grain conveyed forward is permitted to drop into the interior of a receptacle 13 provided within one end of the casing 1, said receptacle comprising essentially a semi-cylindrical horizontally disposed bot tom 13 having a short inwardly directed tubular spout 14 whose diameter corresponds to that of said semicylindrical bottom.

A horizontally disposed shaft 15 having its ends journaled in the opposite ends of the casing 1 has a spiral blade 16 fixed thereon which operates over the bottom 13 of the receptacle 13 and within the spout 1 1, whereby grain deposited in said receptacle is propelled outward through the open end of said spout, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Rigidly mounted upon said shaft 15 is a cylindrical wire-screen 17, concentric with said shaft, adapted to rotate with said shaft.

lVhile any appropriate screen-supporting' means may be employed, I prefer, on account of its simplicity and adaptability for the purpose, touse the means depicted in the drawings, the same comprising a plurality of spaced circular disks 18 rigidly mounted on said. shaft 15, and a plurality of spaced longitudinally-extending bars 19 supported upon the peripheries of the disks 18. In order that said bars may not lie close against the screen, and thus interfere with the movement of the grain thereon, the ends of the bars are turned outward and back to form attaching portions 20 over which the screen is stretched and to which the latter is secured.

As the grain is discharged from the open end of the spout 14, it falls within the adjacent end of the revolving screen and is by the latter subjected to an agitation which acts to effectually shake dust and foreign particles from the grain, which foreign matter falls through the screen to a suitable dust receptacle, as 21, located or formed in the bottom of the casing. The screen has the end adjacent to the spout closed to prevent the grain from passing therefrom, while the opposite end is open to permit the grain to freely drop to a discharge opening or tube 2:2 leading to a suitable point without the casing 1.

'vi ater in suitable quantities may be admitted to the grain, if desired, for efiecting a washing of the latter, a valve-closed spout 23 leading from a source of water supply, as a tank 24;, to a point overlying a small water cup 25 which communicates at a suitable point with-the interior of cylinder 2.

Automatic control of the feed of the grain from cylinder 3 to the receptacle 13 may be had by the provision of a hinged or pivoted closure 26 for the opening 12, the latter being located in the side of the cylinder 3, as shown in Fig. 1. A weight 27 is adjustably mounted upon an outstanding arm 28 carried by said closure whereby the degree of pressure of the latter against said opening may be adjusted for regulating the rate of passage of the grain to said receptacle.

A pulley 0r belt-wheel 29 is located on one end of shaft 9 and is connected by belt 30 to a suitable source of motive power. Cone pulleys 31 and 32 carried respectively by the opposite end of said shaft 9 and by the adjacent end of shaft 6 are connected by belt 33, power being thus transmitted to the last-mentioned shaft. F or driving the shaft 15 and screen 17, a pulley or belt-wheel 34: located on the end of said shaft is connected by belt 35 to cone pulley 31, as shown. While the method of driving the various rotating elements is preferably that above described, it is obvious that the said elements may be driven independently of each other or may be connected or geared in various other ways than that herein shown and described.

In practice, the grain may be supplied to the hopper in any suitable manner, as by an elevator or conveyer; and the discharge tube 22 may lead to any point desired. The speed of the various propellers may obviously be regulated to correspond with that required to effect the passage of the grain delivered thereto.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a machine which is automatic in its operation is provided which will effect a thorough cleaning and scouring of the grain as it passes from one point to another prior to the usual milling process.

It will further be obvious that various changes and alterations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim. Hence I am not to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a device of the character described, the combination with grain conveyers, of a rotary shaft, and a cylindrical screen mounted on said shaft; said screen embodying a frame composed of a plurality of circular disks fixed to the shaft, a plurality of longitudinal bars mounted on the peripheries of said disks; and a wire netting encircling said frame; said bars having their ends angularly disposed to form attaching portions on which said netting is mounted and by which said netting is supported in a position non-contiguous with respect to said bars.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture in presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

SAMUEL S. HESS. Witnesses EMMA Hnss, V. S. SPENCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or" Eatents, Washington, D. C. 

